2/3/21

County Attorneys Winter Conference 2021

Amy Bason, Deputy Director and General Counsel Paige Worsham, Associate General Counsel Adam Pridemore, Legislative Counsel

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2020 Election

Record-high voter turnout: 75%+

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U.S. House Results

Source: Washington Post

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Governor & NC Council of State

Governor Lt. Secretary Auditor Treasurer Supt. of Attorney Comm. of Comm. Comm. of Governor of State Public General Agriculture of Insurance Instruction Labor

2016 Roy Dan Forest Elaine Beth Dale Mark Josh Steve Cherie Mike Cooper Marshall Wood Folwell Johnson Stein Troxler Berry Causey

2020 Roy Mark Elaine Beth Dale Catherine Josh Steve Josh Mike Cooper Robinson Marshall Wood Folwell Truitt Stein Troxler Dobson Causey

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NC General Assembly

N.C. House N.C. Senate 2018-2019 65 R 2018-2019 29 R 55 D 21 D 2020-2021 69 R 2020-2021 28 R 51 D 22 D

No veto-proof majority

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County Commissioners

Ø Several current or former county commissioners won election this year to the N.C. General Assembly: • Voters in 21 counties saw referenda •Bertie County Comm. Ernestine Bazemore (N.C. Senate, District 3) on the general election ballot •Alamance County Comm. Amy Galey (N.C. Senate, District 24) •Former Craven County Comm. Steve Tyson (N.C. House, District 3) • Additional quarter-cent local option •Former Wake County Comm. Abe Jones (N.C. House, District 38) sales & use tax referendum •Former Cumberland County Comm. Diane Wheatley (N.C. House, District 43) appeared on the ballot in 5 •Harnett County Comm. Howard Penny (N.C. House, District 53) counties. The ballot measure did •Richmond County Comm. (N.C. House, District 66) not pass in any of the counties •Former Davidson County Comm. (N.C. House, District 80) • Voters in Camden, Carteret, •Former Buncombe County Comm. (N.C. House, District 117) Guilford, Jackson, and Lee counties •Haywood County Comm. Mark Pless (N.C. House, District 118) approved bonds for schools and •Macon County Comm. (N.C. House, District 120) parks and recreation. Voters also approved public housing, ØOne-fifth of legislators formerly served as county commissioner transportation, and improvement bonds in Raleigh and Charlotte. ØTwo former legislators, and Austin Allran, will now serve as Ashe County and Catawba County commissioners, respectively

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County Commissioners

• 308 seats up for election

• About 1/3 decided before general election

• Women now hold 22% of the seats, up from 17% two years ago

• Durham County elected the first all-female county board

• Slightly more diverse commissioners elected

• Six boards changed majority control

• Republican commissioners hold majority on 61 boards (~49% of state’s population); Democratic commissioners hold majority on 37 boards (~51% of state’s population); 2 boards split evenly

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2021 Legislative Preview • January 13, 2021: Reconvened mainly for organizational purposes.

• January 27, 2021: Start of 2021 long session in earnest.

• What are the issues? • Covid-19 • Budget – How will the budget play out? Stalemate like 2019? • Broadband • School Capital • Redistricting • Voter/Election Issues? • HB2?

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4 2/3/21

NCACC Legislative Goals Process

Commissioners Goals Referred Steering Goals Referred Legis. Goals & Boards to Steering Comms. to Legislative Comm. Submit Committee Consider & Goals Comm. Considers & Proposed Goals Recommend Recommends July - Sept Sept - Oct Oct – Nov

Goals Referred to Board of Directors

Delegates Board Goals Referred New Boards to Member Approve Considers Take Office, Goals at & Approves Consider & County Boards Legislative Goals Goals Select Delegates Conference December December January

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Top 5 Priority Goals

1. Seek legislation, funding, and other efforts to expand digital infrastructure/broadband capability to the unserved and under-served areas and residents of the state. 2. Seek additional revenue sources, including a statewide bond referendum and expanded lottery proceeds, and changes to the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund, to equitably address statewide public school and community college capital challenges. Revisions to the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund that will allow more equitable access to counties to take advantage of the funds include: • Allowing Needs-Based Public School Capital Funds to be used for renovations and improvements in addition to new construction. • Reducing or eliminating local match requirements for Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties. • Eliminate the five-year prohibition of receiving funds from the Public School Building Capital Fund if a county receives a grant from the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund by repealing G.S. 115C-546.2(f). 10

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Top 5 Priority Goals

3. Support legislation to allow counties to include specific language on the ballot referendum designating how the proposed quarter-cent local sales tax levy will be spent. 4. Increase state funding and support legislation for behavioral health services and facilities, including dedicated resources for community paramedicine projects; inpatient crisis beds; substance use disorders; specialty courts; individuals with mental health issues in county jails; and single stream funding for area authorities. 5. Oppose efforts to divert to the state, fees or taxes currently allocated to the counties or to erode existing county revenue streams with unfunded mandates. 11

Coronavirus Relief

CARES Act Consolidated (March 2020) Appropriations Act, 2021 (Dec. 2020) SL 2020-4: Appropriated $150 million of Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to counties; $150 million in reserve $900 billion federal relief package

SL 2020-80: Appropriated $150 million reserve with required $75 million share Extends CRF expenditure deadline from to municipalities Dec. 30, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2021; no new funding NC Pandemic Recovery Office and State Treasurer reporting and auditing; almost all Includes approx. $700 million in funds disbursed Emergency Rental Assistance funding for NC; 18 direct allocation local govts

Local governments and state working on ERA program details

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2021 County Tier Designations

Ø 22 Counties Changed Development Tier

Ø Due to a tie, 41 Tier One; 39 Tier Two; 20 Tier Three counties

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Medicaid Managed Care

Medicaid Managed Care

Medicaid Managed Care is now scheduled to go live across the state on July 1, 2021

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Opioid Litigation Settlement Update

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Together again…

• NCACC is examining possible options for summer conference • More info to come

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